Washing machine



March 27, 1928. 1,664,118

o. L. LAFFERIOR ET AL WASHING MACHINE March 27, 1928. 1,664,118

o. L. LAFFERIOR ET Al.

WASHING MACHINE Filed June l, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 c7 o |||lr'l @Il In e,/ o l lllmll il hmm? Ihl March 27, 1928.

` 1,664,118 o. L. LAFFERIOR ET Al.

WASHING MACHINE Filed June l, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 l I l Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNrreo s'rATes PATENT ortica.

OLLIE L. LAFFERIOR, F MINNEAPOLIS, AND NELSON A. LAFFERIOR, 0F ARGYLE,

. MINNESOTA.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed June 1, 1925. Serial No. 34,009.

This invention relates to a washing machine and particularly to a simple and efficient operating mechanism for a washing machine having a movable or reciprocated member in a. closedvreceptacle adapted to engage'the clothes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a washing machine comprising a receptacle for containing clothes and liquid,w a plurality of'movable members adapted to engage the clothes and an operating mechanism connected to said reciprocating members comprising yieldable'means adapted to yield when excessive resistance is encountered by said reciprocating member.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a washing machine comprising a frame carrying adjacent its top a receptacle adapted to contain the clothing and liquid, a plurality of reciprocating members adapted to engage the clothesv and extend through a cover on said receptacle, together with operating mechanism connected to said reciprocating members and disposed above said cover and which -comprises an oscillating beam, a crank shaft disposed above said receptacle to which said beam is connected, said connection comprising yielding members adapted to yield when excessive resistis encountered by said reciprocating members in said receptacle. i

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a washing machine as set forth in the preceding paragraph in which said crank shaft is driven by a shaft extending at one side of the receptacle and downwardly to a motor shaft driven by a motordisposed beneath said receptacle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a simple and efficient yielding operating mechanism for the reciprocating members in the liquid and clothes receptacle and to provide a simple and eiicient driving mechanism for said operating mechanism and also for a wringer.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the. following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the machine, certain partsthereof being shown in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the machine, one casino portion thereof being shownin horizontal section; v

Fig. 3 is a view of a motor and driving means connected thereto partly in side elcvation and partly in vertical section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a frame having corner members 10 arranged at the corners of a rectangle. TWhile the members 10 may be of various shapes, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, they are shown as formed of angle irons with corners thereof disposed outwardly. The members 10 are connected at intermediate points thereon by four members 11 which are also illustrated as made of angle irons having their corners disposed outwardly and one side thereof vertical and one side horizontal. The members 11 form the support for a rectangular receptacle 9 disposed within the vertical sides thereof and within the sides of the members 10, said receptacle having an outwardly directed flange atV its top extending overl angle irons 12 also extending between the. angle irons l() adjacent the upper ends of the latter, said angle irons lt) having one side thereof bent outwardly and secured beneath the horizontal sides of the members 12, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. Suitable tie or brace members 11 are connected to the members 1() and l1 adjacent their junction point, as shown in Fig. 1. A top frame is provided consisting of four angle bars 14 having one horizontal side directed inwardly and one side directed vertically, said bars being arranged in a rectangle in alinement with the frame of the machine already described and being joined at the corners by angle braces 15 and flat braces 16 and 16. A pair of angle. bars 17 extend between opposite ones of the bars 14, said bars 17 having one of their sides bent inwardly and riveted to bars 14, said rivets', at one side of said frame which will be referred to as the front side,

as indicated by the arrows,

- of the latches 44 have a pin projecting to-4 also extending through attaching flanges on a bail 'handle 18. The frame comprising members 14 and 17 is mounted :tor upward swinging movement and at its end the brace member-s 116' are extended through the vertical flange of the members 14 at the sideiopposite the handle 18 and bent downward, as shown at 16", the lower ends of the 'same being bent around pivot members 20 carried in brackets 21 riveted to the'out'eriside `of members 10iat the rear of the frame. j The portions 16b are further strengthened by brace members 16c riveted to their outer sides adjacent the 'hinge pins 20.and secured at .their upper sides to the vertical web of members. 14 at the sides'of At-hefframe. T he frame comprising members 14Iand l17 has secured thereto beneath said members a sheet metal to'p'22fwhich tsjdownjin flat .Contact with ythe outwardly directed flange `at the'top of receptacle 9. .Theifr'ame 14 with the 4c'over 22vandfpartscarriedthereby is .limited in its swinging movementranld in its open position by a pair of links 13 disposed at each side ofjthe frame, the linksof each pair being pivotally lconnected together at one end and having their lother ends respectivelylpivoted to one of the side bars 14 and to a lug 12a secured beneath the horizontal flange ot one of the bars 12. One of the links 13 is projectedy beyond the pivot connecting the same with the other link and has a pin 13a eX- tendingltransversely therethrough and projecting at one side thereof adapted to conl, tact withthe side of thev otherlink 13 to limit the openingmovement of'the frame and cover. y n Y 'The members. 10, at thefrontof -the'machine, `reach have secured.v thereto adjacent their tops'small channel .brackets 43 and latchmembers 44 Aare pivo'ted between the sides of these brackets gby a suitable pivot shown .as a. headed rivet. The lower ends ward the members 10,v which pinv is embraced by oneV end of a small coil `compression spring 45, the other end of which surrounds the end of one of the attaching boltsror rivets of the bracket 43. The upper end of the j .latch -44 is formed as-a pointed block or keeper and is adapted .to pass through an Opening 14b in the vertical web of one of the side channelbars i14 so as toengage the horizontal side of said bar. The hook has.

' a cam action on the bar andthustightly holds. thesame down on Ithe `bar 12. .The rod 46 extends across the frontol the machine` being .'journaled its ends in the brackets'43, whiehirodhas secured theretoin iront of each of the members 44 below the pivots thereof. a lug 4 7. The rod 46 is provided with a handle48. `When said,l rod is oscillatedA by handle 48 the dogs'47 will .push inward on the :lower ends of ratchet v44V and release said latches.

Thev cover 22 is provided with holes through which extend spacedfrods24 carrying at their lower ends hollow tunnels 25 Ymade of sheet metal and having their lower' ends vopen 'to' form cups. The rods l*their Vupper ends, are' secured in tubular membersy26 which members 26 are bifurcated at their top to receiv-e between their ,sides the hubs `or bosses at each end of a be`am`27. Assh''wn in Figs. '1 and 2, there are two of such beams 27' and there are'thus four of the cups 25.' The members`26 con.-`

nectedto eachgbeam 27 arepivotally connected to bars 26a, which bars have U-'shaped'v ends embracingv members 26 and are also centrally pivoted :at 26" to'cross bars `303V ot brackets 30. As shown in F ig. 6, the

`beams 27. are ournaled on sleeves 2,8, which sleeves are, in'turn, journaledI on a shaft 29, j which shia-ft is mounted in fand extends be- Atween vbrackets 30 rising. from and secured to the members 17. The. mechanism for operating each of the beams 27 yisjthe same and Vonly one of said mechanisms need be described. An arm 31 has a hub atitsupper end embracing and secured `to, thesleeve 28.

lVhile this arm may be lsecured in-anymanf ner, in the embodiment of ythe invention illustrated thefsame is shown as being se-I The cured 'to sleeve 28 by a set screw. sleeve 28 has a collar 28a adjacent one end and abuts at one end aj acent the bracket 3 0. A collar y32 secured to shaft `29 abuts the other end of 'sleeve 28iand holds the same.

in position, the collar U3,2l being shown Y. as heldin place by a suitable setscrew. .The arm 31: depends from sleeve 28 and'shaft- 29 and hasa boss adjacent its lower end through which extends ai headed and nutted pivot bolt 33 pivotallyk connected lto said arm and to one end of aA link .A Below the pivot 33 arm 31l has a block 31aA formed.

thereon having bores extending therethrough atan angle to each other, shown as slightly lessl than a right angle, through'whichbores extend rods 35 and36, said rods beingends abut against oblongf plates .38, 'which plates 38a, atthcir upper sides, are disposed flat against the lundersurfaces of flat platelike members 39 which vlatter members have a pair of ears 39Wembrac'ing'thebeam 27 adjacent its ends and connected thereto by a suitable pivot. The members 27 extend at each side of the rods and 36 and have threaded thereinto the lower ends of a pair of bolts or headed rods 40, which rods are parallel respectively, to the rods 35 and and at their upper ends extend slidably through members 38 and 39 and have their heads in engagement with the upper surface ofmembers 39.

There are as shown, a pair of the links 34and these links extend toward the rear side of the frame and are connected by suitable cap bearings to the crank pins of cranks 41a on a crank shaft 41, which crank shaft is journaled in bearings 42 secured te the bars 17 and one of the side bars 14, said crank shaft extending through and at one side of said bar 14.

The shaft 41 has a beveled gear 50 at its outer end meshing with a beveled gear 51., which gears are disposed in a suitable casing 52 secured to one of the members 14. which casing has a downwardly inclined hub 58 forming a bearing for the shaft 54 which carries the beveled gear 51, said shaft being held in place by a collar 55 pinned theretobelow the hub 53. The shaft 54 carries a toothed half clutch 56 adapted to engage, when the cover is in closed position, with another half clutch 57 splined to the upper end of a shaft 5S, which shaft has a collar 59 secured thereto some distance below the half clutch 57 between which and the half clutch 57 a. coiled compression spring 60 is disposed.

The collar 59 revolves in a tubular casing 61 through which shaft 58 extends, said shaft being journaled atrits lower end in bearings provided in a gear casing 62. The casing 61 extends to a point beyond the half clutch 57 and atits lower end fits over a projection on the top cover 62b of casing 62. Shaft 5S, adjacent its lower end, has secured thereto a worm wheel `gear 66 driven by worm gear 67 secured to a motor shaft 68 driven by a suitable motor 69 mounted on a plat-form 11" formed by angle bars extending between the members 10 adjacent their lower ends, the casing 62 being secured to a shelf or smaller platform 11C formed by angle hars secured to bars 11b and 1l). Said casing also has a flange. 621 secured to one of the members 10, as well as a lower cover plate 62c forming a bearing for the terminal of shaft The shaft 58 has a beveled gear 70 at its lower end meshing with the gear 71 secured to the lower end of a shaft 72 journaled in a bearing formed in casing 62 and extending upwardly through a tube 73,' said shaft 72, at its upper end, being adapted to receive driving means for a wringer which will be disposed in a cylindrical casing 74 at the upper end of tube 73 `secured by a strap bracket 75 to the member 10. A sprinpresscd pivot pawl lever 76 shown in lig. 2 having a handle thereon, which lever has teeth 76a adapted to mesh with teeth on the wringer standard (not shown) to hold the same in various circumferential positions.

rlhe cover 22 is provided with a` glass win dow 22a therein and the frame members 10 preferably are equipped with suitable cast ers and caster brackets 77 at their lower ends. A switch casing 79 is secured to the frontof the machine which will have suitable switches for controlling the motor 69. Part of the operating mechanism for the cups 25 which is carried above the receptacle, is preferably inclosed in a casing 7 S shown in Fig. 2.

In operation, the handle 48 will be oper` ated to release the latch members 44 and the frame comprising members 14 and cover 22 will then be lifted by handlelS. l/Vhen this frame is lifted it carries with it' the cup members 25 and all of the operating mechanism carried on the frame comprising members 14 and 17 and half clutch 5G secured to shaft 54 and to said frame, the cover swing'- ing back until the pin 13 on one of the links 13 engages the other link 13. rlhe washing liquid and materials and the clothes can now be placed in the receptacle 9 after which the lid will again be moved to closed position and the latches 44 engaged. It will be noted that if the teeth on the half clutches 56 and 57 are not in meshing position, the half clutch 57 will merely be depressed against the tension of spring until relative rota.-`

tion occurs between said half clutches, at which time the teeth will mesh. The motor is now started by closing the proper switch in the switch casing 79 and shafts 72 and 58 will be driven through the gearing in casing` 62. Shaft 54 will be driven through the half clutches 56 and 57 and'crank shaft 41 will thus be rotated through the gears 51 and 52. rThe cranks 41L on crank shaft 41, lit will be noted, are quartered or spaced ninety degrees apart. The links 34 will be reciprocated and arms 31 oscillated. As arm 3l is oscillaled. the block 31 at the bottom thereof will alternately push upwards on the members 37 and springs 38 against the ends of beamsl 27. The beams will thus be oscillated about the axis of shaft 29 and on the sleeves 28 and the cups 25 carried at the respective ends of said beams will be reciprocated in the receptacle 9 and will be pressed down upon and lifted from the clothes. Bars 26l1 cause members 24 and 25 to reciprocate substantially vertically. A pressing or pounding and a` suction action will thus be effected and the clothes in the water will be thoroughly agi tate-d and cleaned. rlhe springs 38 are of sufficient tension to give the necessary reciprocation to the cups 25 under normal conditions. If, however, an excessive resistance should be encountered by the descending cup iid the spring 38 would be compressed and the block 3l on its respective arm would move relatively to its rod or 36. The lower end of said rod 35 or 36, as the case may be, will project at the lower face of block 3l2L and the rods 40 will be projected slightly through the members 39. When'the cup encountering the resistance will again be lifted the springs38 will expand andthe parts will take their normal position with the nut at the lower end-of rod 35 or 36 Vin engagement with the block 31'6L and the heads at the top of rods L L0 in engagement with the members 39. yieldable means for the operating mechanism adapted to yield undei excessive stress and 'prevent injury to any of the parts. By-theA disposition of the cranks Ill the load att-lieA sides. of the machine is nicely balanced and there ispractically no vibration due to the reciprocation `of the cups 25. The cover 22, preferably 'is formed somewhat convexen its underside, as shown in Fie. l, so that the liquidthereon will drain to the center and drop into the receptacle. The-operation of thecups 25 can be observed,when desired, through the window 22a.

From the above description it is lseen'that applicants have provided a simple and etlicient washing machine and one having an efficient and yet very :safe operating mechanism for the operating parts. The machine is very convenient in operationrand the saine has been amply demonstrated in actualpractice and found to be very successful-and efficient.

It will, of course, be understood,.that vari'- ousvr changes may be made inthe-form, de-

' tails, arrangement and proportions of the parts without depart-ingfrom the scope of applicants invention,which, generally stated,

consists in a` device capableof carrying outv the objects above set forth, in the novel parts and combination of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An actuating mechanism for the'reciprocating elements of a washing machine comprising anv operating shaft, a reciprocating member connected to said shaft, a beam movable about astationaryaxis and' to which member, but under excessive vresistance to said elements'said yielding connection-will yield and said `reciprocatingmember will move relatively to said beam.

2. An actuatingmechanism.Y for the reciprocating 'elements of'fa washing vmachine,l

coniprisinga crank shaft, a link connected to said crank shaft, a lsecond shaft, a sleeve journaled on said second-shaft,.an arm-secured to saidsleeve Land connected to said The springs 38 thus form a' at .one-sideV thereof, a sleeve journaled on saidf stationary shaft, an arm Vsecured to ,said sleeve and dependingtherefrom, a link conf iiected to a crankon said crank shaft andv pivotallyY connected tosaid arm adjacent the lower end thereof, a beam journaled on said. sleeve` to the ends of :which Vsaid reciprocating elements are'pivotally connected, a pair n ofgrods extending through-thev-lower en'd of saidarm, members pi'votally` connected ad jacent each end of said beam, the upper ends of said ,.rods being slidably connected yrespectively to said respective members, `a spring surroundingreach of said rods and re-acting between vsaid -respective members' and the lower end of said yarm and means for -9 operating said crank shaft wherebyrunder normal resistance to said reciprocatingelements said springs will yield and said arms will move relatively to said beams.

4. An actuating mechanism for the' reciprocating elements of a washing machine',

comprising an oscillating beam pivoted at its center and connectedkat its endsto'saidreciprocating elements, an oscillating arm, a member carriedby said @arm having a pair of'rods-slidabletherethrough, said rods being angularly disposed and extending from` said'member to adjacent theendsV of said beam, members pivoted adjacent the ends of said-beain-to which the upper ends ofsaid rods are secured, compression springs-surr-oundingsa-id rods abutting the member on said arm at their lowervr ends and abutting said last mentioned members at their upper ends. l l Y 5. An actuatingmechanism forthe reciprocating elements of a washing machine comprising-an oscillating beam pivoted at its centreand connected at its ends to` said reciprocating elements, an oscillating arm having'an enlarged portion thereon,.a pair of rodsslidable through-said enlarged portion of said `arm, said rods being angularly disposedl and extending from said portion to adjacentthevends of'said beam, members pivoted fadjacentthe ends of said beam to which thelupper ends of saidrods are secured, mem-bers through whichsaid rods are.

adaptedto slide engaging.v the enlargedV portion ofsaid arm, springs reacting .between said first mentioned andsaid last mentioned llCl members and rods disposed at the sides of said first mentioned rods and secured at one end to said last mentioned members, the other ends of said last mentioned rods slidably extending through said first mentioned members.

6. An actuating mechanism for the reciprocating elements of a washing machine comprising a beam centrally pivoted and connected at its ends to said reciprocating elements, an operating shaft, a reciprocating member connected at one end to said shaft, means connected to the other end of said reciprocating member and to said beam for oscillating said beam as said operating shaft is moved and a resilient cushioning means interposed between said connecting means and said beam adapted to take up the motion of said reciprocating member as the free movement of said elements becomes obstructed.

7. An actuating mechanism for the reciprocating elements of a washing machine having in combination, a frame, a shaft journaled therein, a beam pivoted on said shaft, an arm pivoted on said shaft, means for oscillating said arm, a rod extending through and slidable in said arm, a member engageable by said arm through which said rod is slidable, a pair of rods secured at one end to said member, a block to which the other ends of said last mentioned rods are slidably connected, means pivotally connecting said block to said beam, and a spring surrounding said first mentioned rod and abutting said member and block whereby said beam is oscillated by oscillation of said arm and said spring will be compressed and said rods move relatively to said arm and. block if the movement of said beam is arrested.

In testimony whereof we aHiX our signatures.

OLLIE L. LAFFERIOR. NELSON A. LAFFERIOR. 

